Although I had heard some stories that a rare species of giant spiders were migrating north, I had not given much creedance to the rumour until we were forced to fight one off at our cottage. This monsterous menace was definitely stalking us on the dock and it took our combined effort to frighten it off. (See the above photo evidence.)
We now believe this was a giant Wolf Spider (Arachnida: Wolfus Giaganticus Cottage Lakeus) These seldom seen monsters are very aggressive and can inject venom without any provocation. Their bite is mildly venomous with symptoms including swelling, pain, itching,and loss of skin -- but obviously the size of the bite could be a factor.
Wolf spiders can be found in a wide range of habitats, both coastal and inland. These include shrublands, woodland, wet coastal forest and alpine meadows. Spiderlings disperse aerially and consequently wolf spiders have wide distribution. Although some species have very specific needs such as stream-side gravel beds or montane herb-fields (and apparently docks), these arachnids seem to be venturing into new territories due to an ever present need for a food source.
